Unknown -- Shields -- Wars -- Coverage: Selective Shielding

[2046]

While we know droidekas, Naboo fighters, and some other examples feature 360 degree shielding of a Trek-like nature, there are other cases in Star Wars which seemingly do not.

The Death Star, for instance, seemed to have merely a magnetic field instead of any sort of robust shielding system (odd for a culture that supposedly has planetary shields two-for-a-penny). And the Invisible Hand seemed unshielded at a sensitive spot near the landing bay. Further, assorted The Clone Wars examples are pointing to unshielded (or at least unshielded sections of) frontline warships.

To be sure, we know that angling of shields is a distinct possibility in Star Wars. But please disprove or explain why not to believe the following thesis:

Shields and armor can work together . . . armor here, shields there, both over that spot over there. The power required to operate shielding may not be worthwhile over an entire starship in the Star Wars universe, since . . . based on the fact that fighters are a threat to starships . . . it seems that power technologies do not scale perfectly.

Thus, a frontline warship in Star Wars may actually require a selective shielding application. (Trekkies can consider the now-forgotten "defense fields" graphic from Star Trek II that seemed to suggest a special bridge bubble and other selected coverage areas prior to the raising of full shields.) Armor is considered sufficient if not superior for most purposes.

Discuss.

[Mike DiCenso]

The Death Star is a peculiar oddity, unless the magnetic shields are specifically designed to repel plasma based weapons. The strength of those fields was sufficent to shake even shielded X-wing and Y-wing fighters. The Death Star II is another matter since it's shielding came from the Endor moon's surface and totally encompassed the hundreds km wide battlestation. We have no idea what the fully completed and operational DS2's shields would have been like. The Endor projected shields, like the limited shields over the Rebel Base on Hoth seemed to be able to block both large-scale KE attacks as well as EM-energy based ones.

Oh by the way, the defense field graphics screencap link is blocked, like everything else from Trekcore these days where hotlinking is concerned. Given how the gridlines on the graphics display of the ship lit up, this might be an initial stand-by charging of the shields. This is supported by the fact that other powering up of other combat systems also occured, such as phasers. This pre-charging of the defense may be similar to the polarized hull plating of the old NX class, that while not enough to prevent damage, at least reduces it. This may be why the Reliant's phasers and torpedoes merely crippled the Enterprise rather than outright destroyed her in the first volley.
-Mike

[GStone]

A lot of Wars tech seems to be based on specializing and minimalism. Fighters are often not that much bigger than escape pods (and sometimes smaller). Weapons are often big (carbine sized weapons are treated as side arms for most militaries, including the empire; handguns are more use by smugglers, orindary citizenry or some of the security of royalty, but they also keep larger weapons on them), personal items are big and have limited functions (binoculars have cameras and a filter or two) in the later years, but some were small a few decades earlier (Anakin's PSP-like thing) The only real time you get multifunctions in tools is when you put them in a droid. A lot of the steampunk flavor in Wars adds to this feeling.

[Jasonb]

I have never seen the shields that fighters have in star wars do any good. Dark Vader Tie fighter that had shields was knocking out of control with one or two hits. I am also guessing that it the best Empire has to offer. As for droidekas the clone trooper seem no problem destroy them even with shields.

[Mr. Oragahn]

I have never seen the shields that fighters have in star wars do any good. Dark Vader Tie fighter that had shields was knocking out of control with one or two hits. I am also guessing that it the best Empire has to offer. As for droidekas the clone trooper seem no problem destroy them even with shields.

I don't recall a single clonetrooper destroying a shielded droideka. Even in the CGI film, it took an AT-TE to destroy a pack of three.

[Jasonb]

Remember the mission Movies Attract of the clones were Yoda order clone troop fire path around the survivals. A least few droideka got destroy there. Also Mission Yoda in cartoon show clone wars one clone trooper made many rocks fall on droideka droid. Why do not all droideka droids have shields?

[Mike DiCenso]

You're presupposing that Droideka shields can withstand large bolders and debris falling on them.
-Mike

[Roondar]

I have never seen the shields that fighters have in star wars do any good. Dark Vader Tie fighter that had shields was knocking out of control with one or two hits. I am also guessing that it the best Empire has to offer. As for droidekas the clone trooper seem no problem destroy them even with shields.

Luke's X-Wing was saved by its shields (from enemy fire) during the Deathstar run. The blast did nearly destroy R2D2 though.

[Mike DiCenso]

You mean from Darth Vader's TIE's lasers, or the turbolaser flak bursts?
-Mike

[Jasonb]

Luke's X-Wing was not saved by its shields . It was Luke using the force avoid getting hit by Darth Vader fire.

[Mike DiCenso]

I think Roondar is refering in general terms to all enemy fire he encountered during the Battle of Yavin, not simply Darth Vader's TIE lasers. At a number of times Luke was not using the Force, just good old fashioned lining up the enemy in the sights, and jinking.
-Mike